Fortune City Chronicle
by J.E.M. Huffman
Summary: Fortune City. A place of wealth and power with an underbelly of corruption and death. The Fortune City Chronicle is a collection of stories about this city, showing the corruption, murder, and scandal behind this golden city.


Maaan that girl was fine. Those round hips and large tits doin' wonders to tiny Tim. I saw her on that steer corner, Arnold and Fifth, and I had to have that bod. She ain't come cheap either. Fifty bucks she said. Forget that. Would of walked off if she ain't come right up on me and whisper it in my ear. I pulled out my wad and handed her the fee and she got to work in no time at all.

She led me down the road into one of them alleys. The small ones with nothing in them. No one care if this go down in the streets no mo. Aint nothing they aint seen before. She pressed me against the wall and went to work and woo brotha that was good. Her lips sucked on my neck as her hands worked deftly down my back.

She yanked up on the tail of my shirt, backing off long enough to toos my rags on the flo before getting back to it. Her tone bod pressed against my bare abs. Suddenly fifty bucks felt like a steal. This girl doin better than some of those high class hoes over in the city. She pushed me to the side and pinned me against the wall, he long, delicious leg wrapped around me.

Her hand slowly trailed to my back doing wonders to it all along the way. Want this girl back at the block. Fit in fine with the rest of them. Bring in some good dough.

"Mmm, girl you know how to play with those hands."

"I had a lot of time playin around. Know every point of pleasure you have." She tapped a point right then that sent chills through me. This girl aint playin.

"Where'd a pretty girl like get these mad skills?"

"Lets just say I like to cut out the competition. Do what it takes to stay on top, ya know?"

That sultry voice was so delicious. Might just keep her all to myself.

"Hey Motif!"

"Frik." There goes Rufis again. Ruinin all the fun.

"Aw, no more fun for me?" she asked.

"Lets just give him a little show."

She laughed and went right back to my neck. A groan escaped my throat.

"Motif, come on man. We got to go!"

"Screw it." I pushed that girl off me. "I'll be back."

She just stared at me disappointed. Aint every day a girl gets to spend some quality time with Motif. Climbed into my Cadillac sittin there at the end of the alley. When the door slammed shut Rufis was off. "Man, what the heck was that?"

"That girls nothing but trouble boss."

"She was about to go to work, man. Why you gotta ruin my fun?"

"boss, you weren't gunna be havin no fun unless you like a knife in your back."

"What you talkin about?"

"That girl had her a shank. Figured you could tell with her rubbin all up on you like that."

"I thought she was just happy to see me."

"Now that's just nasty."

"You just mad cause you aint got none."

Rufis shook his head an laughed. "Motif, you one messed up dude. So what you gunna do about her?"

"Send my boys after her. She'd make some good company on a lonely night. Did wonders with those hands. Free of course."

Rufis did that laugh that kept him this job for so long. He knows when to humor me. Its why hes been around for two months. Long job for someone in the ghetto. Hard to find someone who knows what they're doin that aint out robbin banks or doing big stuff. He clearly knows his place.

"Hey Rufis, run me back to the crib. I think I'm done for the night."

"you got it boss." He fixed those retarded shades on his nose. "Hey boss, you might want to buckle up. Never know when some crazy stuff might go down."

"Boi, you crazy. Been runnin' these streets for months now and aint nothing happen yet."

"Juss sayin. Some joke may think its time to bite back. Caesar aint exactly too well liked round here."

"No one likes him but there aint no one dumb enough to do nothin bout it. Better off stickin your junk in a blender and divin in the deep end. Besides, you be doin your job right, I aint got to worry about bein hit right?"

"M'kay boss." Rufis grinned.

"Hey, you got a light?"

He lit up a lighter over his shoulder. Lit that stogie up and took a deep breath. Fine stuff we got here. Fresh from the greenhouse. Took a long drag as I looked out the window. Don't remember seeing this part of the ghetto. "I aint know Marylou drive was on the way back to the block."

"It's a shortcut."

"Man, I aint never heard of this shortcut before. You gunna get us shanked."

"Its not rival territory. We all good."

"You best know what you're doin. You be out on the streets in no time if you screwin me."

"Trust me on this one. I know where I'm goin."

"mhmm." I took another drag of them fine fumes. Tapped the cigar on the window and let the ashes fall outside. Nothin ringin a bell. Lots of funked up buildings on both sides of the road. No one out of the streets in the prime of the night. This aint lookin good.

"Rufis, I don't know none of these building man. Your shortcut aint workin'."

"It's workin. Just give me a second."

"just go back to our usual route. Aint no time to be playin around when all the freaks are out."

"You don't need to worry bout them Motif. You own these streets. Aint no street rat gunna do nothing to ya. Besides, Fortune city right there behind us. No fools dumb enough to be holdin people up when the pope a couple of seconds away."

Boy was right. Aint no scum that can match Motif. Cops just sit around cock in hand when they hear my name. Aint play around. Caesar's got my back.

"Just humor me and go back."

"just another second I pro…"

"Turn back now!" I pulled out my knife and pressed it against his cheek. He froze up, tensed up. The car started to speed up a little. "You know better than messing with me when I'm mad."

Rufis put a little more gas into it. He aint lookin like the rufis I always knew. This mug looked pissed.

"Times running out man. I aint playin no more!"

"Neither am I."

The car jerked to the right, bouncing over the curb. He slammed it down on my dashboard right as the car plowed into a building. The crashing of metal mixed with the sound of my skull cracking on the windshield.

The pain on my backs what woke me up. Like someone went to town with a lemon coated shiiv. My bare back was hot, and not in the attractive way. That fact was obvious. Blood and gravel were on the tips of my fingers.

"Where the hell is this?"

Like some run down whore house. Frilly silk curtains hung on the messed up room I was in. The walls were full of holes. Looked like someone went to town with some matches or something cause it smelt like grandmamas roast beef in here.

"Rufis, I'm gunna kill you the second I get out of here." My back exploded in pain when I tried to stand up but that aint nothing. Some little scratch aint gunna keep me down. Couldn't tell where I was but it couldn't be far from the ghetto cause you could hear the sirens and gunshots of the morning patrol. Some mug best find their way in here. Motif aint ever gunna be left in some rundown piece of crap like this.

What was this place even for? Looked like someone had some cracked up mating ritual. Candles everywhere. Smelt like lavender or some other nasty stuff like that, not that I would know. Flowers aint fly for a guy with my power. For some wimpy punk, dats who that stuffs for. Aint gunna get nothing done standing around here.

"Hey! Rufis. You best be letting me outa here soon man. You don't want Caesar down your throat. He aint gunna let you die quietly."

The hallways outside that were like some freaky crap in old movies where that man bull would chase people down and rip em up. Turns everywhere. Felt like I was going nowhere. Came across that matin hall two more times. Bout to be sick of this place. "Rufis! Get yo head out of whatever hole you stuck it in and get me outa here. I'm done with these games, man."

I'm pretty sure couple more hours went by before I found anything new. Some staircase goin down into some dark creepy basement. There was a light at the very end. Looked like a gate or something was down there at the end. I hoped it was the way out. Getting a little bit messed up in here. Felt like someone was watchin me.

The staircase was pitch black, and I know black. Someone peek in here they aint never gunna see me. Instant ninja. I hope that Rufis be waiten down there. He aint never gunna see me comin. Light ahead got bigger the closer I got. Turns out it was a gate. Like some cemetery entrance. Swirly stuff all over that thing. We must be close to the trade district. Aint no one downtown gunna be accesorising with this. That would be just asking to be held up.

Finally made it down to the bottom. The gate blocked the way any farther and some chain was wrapped around the middle with a lock on it. Needs a key. If I had my kit that thing would be open in no time, but that was back in the car that Rufis probably made off with. He'll be getting it when I make my way outa here.

Some alley was on the other side of the gate. Sounded like the train depot was nearby with all the sound. I didn't notice the keys hanging off of some hook ahead till I was about to turn around. "Wow he some fool. Leavin the keys out in the open."

I stuck my arm through and reached for the keys. Just out of reach. Aint ready to give up yet though. I pushed a little harder. My fingertips grazed them and they jingled a little bit. "Come on. Come to daddy."

That's when a knife ripped up my forearm. I yelped in pain and drew my hand back. Blood gushed from my wrist and halfway down my forearm. Rufis brandished the knife and laughed. "Getting a little bit clumsy aren't you boss?"

"Rufis, you some sort of stupid. Let me out of here."

Rufis just laughed at me. I would shove that knife up his smug throat the second he got close enough. "That aint gunna happen. You have about four minutes before you go unconscious from blood loss. Four minutes for us to play a little game."

"I aint playin no game rufis. Open the door so I can have four minutes to beat you down!"

"hold your horses. We have plenty of time. Bout three and a half minutes to be precise. Before I let you out I need a little errand done."

"You must be some sort of stupid. I aint doin nothing for you. Now open these frikin doors!"

"I left my spare key under the carpet in my living room. Would you be a dear and go get if for me."

I grabbed at my arm trying to slow the loss of blood. It had soaked my pants already. I was starting to feel sick at my stomach. "Get your own frikin key."

Rufis just laughed. I swear if he got one step closer I would shove that knife into his smug lookin face. "You're running out of time, Motif. Whats it gunna be?"

"You messed up man. Screw you!"

"mmm, three minutes now. That clock is ticking."

Standin around here aint doing nothing. I turned around and ran back up the steps. Blood dripped off my fingers and all over the floor. He best not be lying about the key under the mat. My head was startin to swim a little bit. I don't know how much longer I got until I just fall out.

The hallways consumed me. They twisted and turned. Aint none of this look familiar. Its like the whole place is playing games with me. I could feel myself giving way. Like that shootout so long ago. No don't think about the past. Don't want my life flashing before my eyes. This aint nothing. No driver gunna be taking out Motif.

My feet didn't want to listen to me. They tripped over every small rock. Had to lean on the walls to keep myself up and moving. I was getting light headed. Blood soaked the wall ahead. Did I just go full circle? It seemed like every direction had a blood trail on the ground or smeared all over the walls.

I aint a prayin man, but when I made it to the burned down brothel I almost became one. The carpet called to me like that sweet hoe who knows how long before. My feet gave up and I fell to the ground in the middle of the room. It was so close. I lifted the carpet and there it was. The small key.

"Rufis!" The shout was weak. It was hard to focus. "Come get your freakin key!"

Motif aint goin much farther. Cant let that arrogant dick get away with this. The carpet didn't want to tear, but the curtain made some fine bandage. Got soaked in no time, but at least it aint squirten like some teenage jock in the red light district.

"Glad to see you could find my spare key. I was oh so worried about it."

Rufis strolled into the room like some arrogant prick. I threw the key at him. "There, game over. Now get the the frick out of here."

Rufis just shook his head. "That aint gunna happen. Your times up."

"I did what you wanted." The vomit tasted terrible in my throat. "Let me out of here!"

Rufis casually strolled closer. "I wanted the key before four minutes were up. Its been five. You lose, plain and simple."

So this is it. It was taking all of my strength to stay on my feet. My head pounded. I cant let it end like this. Not without a fight. He smiled like he'd already won. It aint over till I'm cold and dead.

I charge in like mahamed ali. My first punch knocked the knife clear out of his hand. He drew back, clearly confused. He aint never seen a black man fight before. Motif got this mug. My elbow popped into his chin. Whipped my hand around and popped him across the face. He stumbled back, his cheek red with my blood.

My head spun but I aint stoppin'. I went for another punch. He easily slapped my fist aside. His knee slammed into my face. I heard the snap resound in my skull. I was on my back and didn't know it. Everything blurred. He stood over me and spat on my face. No one spits on Motif.

With the last of my energy I kicked. Hit firm on his cheek. He wont be forgettin that soon. He stumbled to the side. I could see the knife not too far away. My body shook with the pain. I pulled myself against the floor. The pebbles and rubble tore against my torso. The knife hilt grazed my hand. I couldn't grab a hold of it.

Rufis stomped on my hand. I shouted out. He twisted his foot a couple of times and I knew my hand was broken. He picked up the knife and kicked me onto my back. Blood leaked from his nose making his grim look all the more sinister.

"Game over."

He slammed the knife down into my throat.


End file.
